APAP has been designed as a key platform to help governments and other stakeholders collaborate for more effective management of protected areas in the region.

The partnership was initiated in 2013 at the first-ever Asia Parks Congress held in Japan, and formally launched the following year at the IUCN World Parks Congress in Australia. It is chaired by IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, and co-chaired by an APAP member organisation on a rotational basis. The Ministry of Environment, Republic of Korea, is the current co-chair.